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St. Michael’s RC School Non-renewable energy resources Non-renewable types of energy can only be used once. There is a finite amount of these materials on the Earth so they will run out eventually. Non-renewable resources make up approximately 95% of the world’s energy. fossil fuels nuclear coal gasoil fuelwood Non-renewable energy biomass mineral

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St. Michael’s RC School Fossil fuels Oil, coal and natural gas are examples of fossil fuels. They were formed from biological deposits millions of years ago. Oil Coal Natural gas

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St. Michael’s RC School Animation showing the formation of fossil fuels

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St. Michael’s RC School Fossil fuels – how much is left ? Why are these only ‘estimated’ reserves ?

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St. Michael’s RC School Look at these photographs. What impact do these thermal power stations have on the environment? Over 90% of Britain’s energy comes from gas, coal and oil, thermal power stations. Thermal power stations

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St. Michael’s RC School electricity pylons steam from the cooling towers buildings Thermal power stations

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St. Michael’s RC School OILGASCOAL Match the sentences to the different types of fuel. (some statements may apply to more than one fuel) power stations associated with this fuel are located on deep coastal estuaries fuel can be easily transported produces a smaller amount of greenhouse gases than the other fossil fuels when burnt power stations associated with this fuel are located near the supply of fuel the fuel heats water to produce steam fuel is bulky fuel may only last between 30-60 years there is a danger of spillage with this fuel this fuel produces just under 50% of the electricity in the UK

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St. Michael’s RC School Combustion of fossil fuels How can these pollutants be reduced? gas flue desulphurization (water is sprayed down the chimneys and this turns the gases to sulphuric and nitric acids) construct taller chimneys or, we could use less energy, more efficiently. fluidized bed technology (limestone is burnt with the coal so the sulphur remains with the limestone) burn coal with less sulphur or, we could use more nuclear or renewable energy

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St. Michael’s RC School Nuclear Nuclear energy is made from the mineral, uranium. These power stations are often located by the coast or on estuaries where there is water for cooling. France has 55 nuclear power stations. This one is in the Rhone Valley.

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St. Michael’s RC School Nuclear uranium = 25 000 tonnes of coal 0ne tonne of uranium can produce the same amount of electricity as 25,000 tonnes of coal. What are the other advantages of nuclear power?

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St. Michael’s RC School Nuclear disaster! On April 25 th 1986 there was a major nuclear accident in Chernobyl in the Former Soviet Union. 4,000 died in radiation related diseases and thyroid cancer is up 10 fold in this Ukrainian area. Chernobyl was decommissioned in December 2000 but it will need to be contained for hundreds of years to prevent further leaks. The accident didn’t just have an impact on the local area. The cloud of radioactive gas reached Britain on May 3 rd 1986 and the radioactivity was deposited by rain. One area that was particularly affected was North Wales. This area received heavy rain at the beginning of May. The government banned the slaughter of sheep within North Wales for three weeks. 1)How far did the radioactivity travel in the eight days? (use an atlas to help) 2)Why did the government ban the slaughter of sheep in North Wales?

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St. Michael’s RC School Nuclear or fossil fuels? Nuclear energy will cause a loss of mining jobs Nuclear energy is the clean fuel of the future What about nuclear waste? There is worry about nuclear disasters Fossil fuels will run out Fossil fuels cause pollution Terminals and refineries take up space There have been no serious nuclear accidents in Britain Nuclear power is too costly to be used for heating and transport It is very expensive to decommission old nuclear power stations Oil and gas could be exhausted by 2040 Only small amounts of uranium are needed in nuclear power stations